Alhaji Ibrahim Kwami, Gombe State Commissioner for Information has expressed great sadness at the news of the passing on of Malam Wada Maida, the former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Kwami gave the reaction in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Tuesday.
NAN reports that Wada Maida died in Abuja on Monday.
Accordimg to Kwami, Maida’s death is a great loss to the country and cannot be easily forgotten following his contributions to the media industry.
“His death is indeed a great loss not to his immediate family alone but to the entire media industry and the country at large.” he said.
Also, Malam Isma’ila Misili, Senior Special Assistant on Media to Gov. Inuwa Yahaya, said the death of Maida was the departure of a great journalist whose contributions were widely acknowledged.
He said the late NAN boss was a veteran journalist who mentored a lot of media personalities.
“I am one of the beneficiaries of his mentorship even though not directly but indirectly because through him, a lot of people became something in life,” Misli said.
On his part, Mr Rambi Ayala, a journalist and Gombe lawmaker, said the veteran journalist had paid his dues in the service to his fatherland.
“Late Wada Maida has passed in active service to our dear nation, serving diligently, giving his professional advice and the experience he gathered over the years.
“The late NAN boss would be greatly missed, he has lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation,” Ayala said.
Late Maida was in 2017 appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as Chairman of NAN board, a position he held until his death.
He served as NAN Managing Director in 1994 after a long spell as Editor-in-Chief beginning from 1985.
Maida joined NAN as a pioneer editorial staff in 1978 and was at various times the Political Editor, Kaduna Regional Editor and London Bureau Chief of the Agency.
He was also an Executive Board member of the International Press Institute before his death.
